Who said what - top 5 expert reactions on Virat Kohli-Yashasvi Jaiswal run out in BGT 2024-25 4th Test ft. Sanjay Manjrekar

A dramatic mix-up between Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal changed the course of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. As India were sailing smoothly during the last session of the second day's play, disaster struck in the form of Jaiswal's run-out.

In the 41st over, the youngster pushed the ball to the mid-on region and went off the rails for a quick single. However, Kohli was caught ball-watching, and Jaiswal was stranded near the non-striker's end. Pat Cummins threw the ball to keeper Alex Carey, who dislodged the bails and sent Jaiswal packing for 82 and ended a 102-run partnership.

As a result, Kohli also lost his concentration and was dismissed shortly after for 36. The visitors eventually ended Day 2 on 164/5 and still trailing by 310 runs.

On that note, let's take a look at the reactions of the former cricketers and commentators on the run-out.

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#1 Aakash Chopra

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra expressed his disappointment with the lack of communication between Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Chopra felt there was no need for a quick single, but also opined that Kohli should have trusted Jaiswal's call. Here's what he said on his official YouTube channel:

"They both made a mistake. There are only 15 minutes left for the day to end. You hit a shot and it goes straight into the fielder's hands, and run. The shots at the mid-on and mid-off region are called are the batter's call and not the non-striker's. Because the throw will also come to his end."

"But, it was not a run there. Kohli is also at fault here, as you trust your partner and generally don't watch the ball. It was an absolute communication breakdown. The dismissal triggered a mini-collapse for India," he added.

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#2 Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar shared his reaction to the run-out on ESPNcricinfo. According to him, the non-striker should have taken a start, whereas Virat Kohli was caught ball-watching. He said (via Indian Express):

"It's always is a case of non-striker taking a start which Virat didn't do, which is unlikely, because he is so quick running between the wickets. After Jaiswal's call, he looked behind and decided to not run for a single. By the time, it was too late."

"The run-out affected Virat's lapse of concentration and resulted in his dismissal," he added.

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#3 Dinesh Karthik

Former Indian keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik interacted with Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz. Karthik felt Yashasvi Jaiswal tried to take a quick single at the wrong time, as the duo were dealing in boundaries. He said:

"He was willing to run for a single, which wasn't there. It was not Virat Kohli's fault. You can look at the replay and say that it's Yashasvi's call but you have to understand the situation and tempo.

"If they had been running a quick single on a few occasions, then it would have been a mistake by Virat."

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#4 Parthiv Patel

In an interaction on Cricbuzz, Parthiv Patel put forward his point that Yashasvi Jaiswal made a blunder by calling for a quick single, with the mid-on fielder stationed close to Virat Kohli.

According to Patel, there was no need to take a risky single, if the runs were coming thick and fast. He said:

"Here the call was from Yashasvi Jaiswal, there is no doubt about it. But, the fielder was standing right in front of mid-on near to Virat Kohli. I don't think Kohli was expecting that Jaiswal will call for a run. So Jaiswal made a mistake, he was a bit hasty, that call was not needed there."

"Even If Virat Kohli had run there, then he would have also had a chance of getting run out at the front end," he added.

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#5 Irfan Pathan

Former Indian cricketers Irfan Pathan and Sanjay Manjrekar were involved in a disagreement on the run-out. Manjrekar felt Kohli made a childish error, while Pathan felt that the 36-year-old could not be solely blamed for the mix-up.

Manjrekar said:

"It was a very school [boy] error that he looked behind and decided there was no single there. It’s not the non-striker’s call to make."

Pathan responded by saying:

"There is another truth of cricket that if the ball is played at point, the non-striker is the one to make a call. And the striker is at full liberty to turn it down. He can also say no sometimes."